ELED 344 - Teaching Language Arts and Social Studies in the Elementary Classroom

(3 credits)
Prerequisite: Admission to the Professional Education Program and passing scores on all appropriate MTEL®: Communication and Literacy, Foundations of Reading and General Curriculum, including Mathematics subtest
This course will consider and practice classroom strategies for use in the elementary school to enhance the underlying and interdependent competencies of Language Arts (reading, writing, listening, speaking, viewing and visually representing), as well as the several delineated conceptual, skill and knowledge areas of social studies (history, geography, civics, government and economics) through pupil involvement in purposeful and critical communication activities. Special emphasis will be given to the teaching of writing within the environment of a writer’s workshop and will also be given to the development of critical thinking skills needed to become a lifelong learner as a teacher of writing and social studies. The major practice point of the course will involve a writing pre-practicum project that will provide teacher candidates with an emerging experience in the teaching of writing in both tutorial and small group settings in a nearby elementary school.